The Tick vs. The Proto-Clown
The Tick vs. The Proto-Clown is an episode of the animated television series The Tick. Synopsis When Tick is knocked into space by a clown superman, he undergoes an spiritual journey. Meanwhile, the heroes on earth try to stop the monster. Plot The episode beings with a view of The City from above, with a startled radio host panicking and telling the audience to evacuate The City before "It" gets to them. Tick And Arthur have returned from a wheat-themed amusement park, Tick joyous over the many rides and other fun experiences they've had. They happen to meet Sewer Urchin and Die Fledermaus in Ben's Diner, and Die Fledermaus asks to borrow their car. The Civic-Minded Five arrive in their car, and warn Tick and Arthur to leave immediately, who do not know about "Its" rampage. Tick runs off to find it, but It immediately finds him, and while Tick tries to fight it, he can barely land a blow. It throws Dot's car at them, and hits Tick into space with a bus. In space, Tick meets his mind, and asks him the existentialist question of "why are we here?". This excites his mind, who takes him on a "psychic journey of self discovery" into his consciousness. Back on earth, the others are struggling to keep the monster at bay, when American Maid arrives with a scientist named Bud Frontier who says he can stop the monster, which he calls "Proto-Clown". He tries to reason with it, but it becomes enraged when he calls it funny. They escape with bud, and Die Fledermaus and American Maid stay to hold him back. In Tick's consciousness, in the form of a vast, flat, sunny plain. Tick becomes excited with a shiny object and runs off. In the Civic-Minded Five's headquarters, Bud tells the origin of Proto-Clown. He says that he has always loved clowns, and thought that if he created a giant clown, it would be even funnier, and bring to joy to the whole world (let alone an army of giant clowns!). He was successful, but only one survived: Proto-Clown. Arthur berates him for his senselessness, and he clearly regrets his actions, saying that he only wanted to make people happy. American Maid returns with an unconscious Die Fledermaus in her arms. Tick, meanwhile, has discovered his pleasure center, where his mind warns him not to enter, because they will both fall into a coma from which they will never awaken. Tick falls into a pool of water, where a giant snake attacks. Or so it seems, as the snake was merely trying to make out with him. Die Fledermaus regains consciousness, and Proto-Clown arrives and they run to the garage, which can hold him off for a while. Tick and his mind reach his self-image, which can answer any question, but only one. Tick asks it "how it's doing", and receives a giant thumbs up. His mind is extremely disappointed with him, and tries to ask a question himself. The statue releases a bunch of Tick-like midgets that chase him to an mysterious doorway. The heroes are terrified that Proto-Clown will find them at any moment, and he then does. Bud gets Proto-Clown to explain that he's so angry because people laugh at him. The doorway that Tick entered lead to his escalator of enlightenment, where he climbs to the top after it starts going down when he asks a stupid question. At the top, his mind tells him that he must clear his mind and walk along. He instead falls, because his mind wasn't so clear. He falls, but in the process remembers why he was there. Proto-Clown and Bud have made-up, but Bud accidentally honks his hose, and makes everyone laugh. Proto-Clown prepares to get make paste of all of them, but Tick falls from space and lands on Proto-Clown, knocking him out. Bud laments over his failure, but Tick tries to comfort him with a speech, but its odd contents do nothing but bewilder everyone. Characters Main Characters *Tick *Arthur Supporting Characters *Tick's mind (only appearance) *American Maid *Die Fledermaus *Civic-Minded Five **Four-Legged Man **Captain Mucilage **Jungle Janet **Carpeted Man **Feral Boy *Bud Frontier (only appearance) Antagonists *Proto-Clown (only appearance) *Tick midgets (only appearance) Minor Characters *Talking snake (only appearance) *Baby Proto-Clowns Locations *The City **Ben's Diner **Civic-Minded Five's headquarters *Wheat Land (mentioned only) *Tick's mind (not the character) **Tick's pleasure center (in Tick's imagination) **Tick's self-image (in Tick's imagination) **Tick's escalator of enlightenment (in Tick's imagination) Trivia *'Ending Monologue': **'Tick': "Don't take it so hard, mister, There are many mysteries in this universe big and small. Like 'why do clowns make us laugh?' 'Why do we love puppy dogs?' and 'why, why do little, blue midgets hit me with fish?!'" **'Everyone': "What?" **'Tick': "See what I mean? Mysteries abound!" Gallery Protoclown.png Protoclownsmash.png Protoclown3.png Protoclown5.png Protoclownshadow.png Protoclownhappy.png Protoclowncrushed.png Budprotoclown.png Arthurandbud2.png Bud5.png Bud3.png Bud2.png Tickandhismind4.png Tickandhismind3.png Tickandhismind2.png Tickandhismind.png Ticksmind2.png Civicmindedfivecardiner.png Fourleggedmanscared.png Captainmucilagescared.png Janetandcarpetedman.png Janetscared.png Carpetedmancomb.png Feralboywhimper.png Tickselfimage2.png Tickmidgets.png Tickmidgets2.png Dotscar2.png Tickiheartwheat!.png Diefaintermaus.png giantsnake.png giantsnake2.png Category:Episodes Category:Season 1